Steps Away from the Police, Yet No Protection: Shop Burnt in Guwahati's Chandmari

An incident of arson was reported late at night near the Chandmari Police Station in Guwahati city, triggering widespread concern among local residents.

According to sources, unidentified miscreants allegedly set fire to a roadside shop during the night, completely gutting it. The blaze destroyed the entire shop along with cash and goods worth several thousand rupees. The shop was the sole source of livelihood for a woman vendor.

The victim identified as Champa Das discovered the incident early in the morning when she arrived to open her shop and found it completely burned down. The incident has sparked strong reactions in the area, with locals questioning how such an act could take place so close to a police station.

Speaking to the media, the victim said,

“I closed my shop last night and, like every day, kept my belongings inside the shop covered with a tarpaulin. In the morning, I received a call informing me that my shop had been burned. I have suffered a loss of nearly Rs 20,000 due to this incident. I have been a fruit and vegetable vendor here for many years. I suspect one woman, Hasina Begum, to be involved, as we had past differences. I will file an FIR against her."

The shop owner has expressed suspicion against a woman, alleging that the act may have been carried out intentionally. However, no official confirmation has been made so far.

Notably, till the filing of this report, police had not reached the spot. The victim stated that she would lodge a formal complaint at the local police station regarding the incident.

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